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G. G. BLIOKENSDERPER.

TYPE WRITING MAQHINE. N0..472,696. Patented Apr 12, 1892..

(Nol lbde'L) 3SheetS-Sheet 2. G. G. BLICKENSDERFER'.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. N0. 472,696. PatentedApf. 12, 1892.

Imam/ewes 1 gum M0 6 I, Q v I i avm m'ntoz Q (No MdeL) 3 sheets sheet a.

G. O. BLIGKENSDERPER. TYPE WRITING MAGHINE.

No. 472,696. PatentedApr; 1 2, 1892.

-UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. BLICKENSDERFER, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO I THE BLICKENSDERFER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,696, dated April 12," I892.

- Application filed February 26, 1892. Serial No. 422,867. (NomOdeL) To all whom it may concern: regulates the position of the column on the Be it known that I, GEORGE C. BLIOKENS- paper, andis only changed whenit is desired DERFER, a citizen of the United States, residto change the position of the column. The ing at Stamford, in the county of Fairfield variable catch has to be adjusted at each em and State of Connecticut, have invented cer- 'try of an item in the column. I therefore tain new and useful Improvements in Typeprefer to make the catch automatically re- WVriting Machines; and I do hereby declare turnable to itsnormal position. the following to be a full, clear, and exact. dev To facilitate work, I prefer to place the catch scription of the invention, such as will enable on the carriage in position to be controlled by 10 others skilled in the art to which it apperthe hand of the operator while it is engaged tains to make and use the same. in moving the carriage to the left to position This invention has relation to that class of the paperfor the entry of the item in the columnating attachments in which one part column. In the applications aboi e referred of the attachment is located upon a fixed part to these catches were so arranged that each 15 of the machine and the other part of .the atwould stop the carriage a letter -space distachmentis upon a movable part of the matance from its companion next in order-as, chinesuch,for example, as the device shown for example, the catch marked 3 would stop in my applications serially numbered 399,117 the carriage one letter-space from the point and 410,893, filed, respectively, Julyll and Nowhere the catch marked 2 would stop it. Con- 2o vember 4, 1891. The device shown in this sequently'if the catches marked1and2were 7o specification differs from those shown in said used for entering cents and those marked 3 applications, in that in the latter a series of 4 5, 850., were used for entering dollars there stops or catches placed side by side on one would be no space left for entering the decipart of the machine are arranged to engage malpoint between dollars and cents, or a 25 with a stop or series of stops on the other part comma between hundreds and thousands, and of the machine, and which determine the 10- so on. I avoid this defect and also dispense cation of the column or columns, the said with the series of catches by making my vastop or stops being fixed or movable relative riable catch changeable into such positions as to the part to which they are attached, wherewill provide for the entry of. the amount with 0 as in this application a single catch or stop is proper separating points or spaces, so that substituted for the series of stops, and said the amount printed can be read without efsingle stop when operated engages the stop fort. In other words, I make said catch vaor stops that determine the location of the riable into a series of graduated positions column or columns with the same result as that are grouped periodically.

35 when a series of keys or stops are used for My invention is illustrated in the accomthe same purpose. panying drawings, as follows:

The special object of my present invention Figure 1 is a side elevation of my device, is to simplify the construction and operation, showing only part of the carriage A and part and thereby cheapen thevdevice and expeof the frame B. Fig. 2 is a top View of the 40 dite its action. To this end I dispense with parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical the series of catches either on the frame of section on the line 1 I in Fig. 1; Fig. 4: is a the machine or on the carriage, and I emtop view of an alternative construction. Fig. ploy a single catch, preferably on the car- 5 is a side View of the parts shown in Fig. 4:. riage, and a stop or series of stops, prefer- Fig. 6 is a top view of another alternative con- 45 ably on the frameof the machine. The catch struction. Fig. 7 is a side view of the same has a variable movement. relative to the stop, parts shown in Fig. 6. Fig.8 is a top view of and the stopor stops may be fixed or movstill another alternative construction. Fig. 9 able, as shown. When movable, the position is a side view of the same parts shown in Fig. of the stop or stops maybe varied at will- It 8. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the bar 50 is therefore termed a variable stop, which C" in Fig. 8.

A marks the carriage, A the platen or paper-roller, and B the frameof the machine.

Other letters and figures of reference will be referred to in place in the following general description. v w

Thevariousalternativeconstructionsshown in the drawings while differing in details possess the same leading features in common, and each embodies my invention.

In the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 there is a stop-bar D,attached to the frame B and having teeth d1 pointing toward the catch, and on it is an adjustable stop D, having a lip d for engaging the teeth d, which holds the stop D against movement in one direction when in engagement with the teeth and a stop-lug d for engaging thecatch-pin 0 The stop Dj is variable and can be ad- 'justed to any point desired to regulate the position on the pageof theright-hand figures of a column of amounts. If desired, there may be two or more stops D on" the bar D, so as to provide for positioning two or more columns. By observing the stop D, as seen in Fig. 3, it will be seen that the stop-lugd has a notch 61 in it for allowing the catch-pin c to pass when standing at normal position. The variable catch mechanism on the carriage is constructed as follows: In the figures 3Q referred to above, 0 isasemi-cylindrical case or frame-piece having flanges c c,which fit into grooves a in the ends of the carriageframe pieces,'and a tongue C,having a lip c, that engages with a slot 0, in a cross-piece of the carriage frame-work. The part 0 C is easily connected to or detached from the carriage by simply putting it into or taking it out of its place. C isa sliding rod carried in the frame-piece C C, and a spring C serves 0 to hold the rod 0 at normal position. In the top of the frame-piece C is a longitudinal slot having offsets or notches 1 2 3, &c. On the rod 0 is a catch-pin 0 the upper end of which fits in the longitudinal slot just referred to, and the lowerend depends over the bar D. By pushingthe rod 0 inwardly and turning it so as to bring the catch-pin 0 into any of the offsets or notches the lower end of the pin will be brought out of line with the notch d in the stop-lug d, and hence it'will' impinge against the stop-lug cl and stop the forward movement of the carriage.

' In operating the device the operator, we will suppose, desires to print the amount $20.10. He will push the rod C in until the pin c is opposite the notch marked 4, and thenturn the rod slightly, so as to enter the pin 0 into said notch 4, and he will then continue moving his hand to the left, which will push the carriage forward until the movernent is stopped by the contact of the pin 0 with the stop D. He will then release the catch-bar C and the spring 0 will return it to normal, and the operator can operate the t ypekeys and print in the amount. There are four digits in the amount supposed and also a decimal-point. The operator entered the catch-pin c 'into notch4 because he had four digits to print. The space between the notches 2 and 3 will be seen to be a letter-space farther apart than the space between the notches 1 and 2 or 3 and 4: or 4 and 5, and the space between the notches 5 and 6 will be seen to be the same as between 2'and 3, and so is the space between 8 and 9. The objects of these double-width spaces between certain notches is to allow space for punctuation-marks, as the commas between hundreds and thousands, and between hundreds of thousandsand millions, and the decimal between dollars and cents, or between units and any fraction thereof.

In the device shownfin Figs. 4 and 5 there is the same stop-bar D and the same stop D, with a stop-lug (Z that is formed differently from the stop-lug'd in the former construction tomeet the changed requirements incident to the action of the catch-pin 0 Y The variable catch device is constructed and operated as follows: At the right-hand end of the carriage there is a quad rant E, having notches espaced in proper manner to 'provide for the points of separation in the printing of amounts, as heretofore described. At the centerpoint of the arc of the quadrant there is pivoted an elbow-lever 0 which carries at its free end a catch-pin 0 and at its opposite end a knob or handle, and this part of the lever is made sufficiently flexible to allow it to be depressed, so as to engage the teeth e of the quadrant and to spring out of engagement therewith as 80011 as released, and a spring 6 is provided for returning'the lever to normal when left free. As the lever C is moved around on the quadrant the catchp'in 0 is varied in its relative position to the stop D and will stop the'carriage at various points. In operatingthis device the operator will move the handle'end of the lever to the desired point on the quadrant and bring it into engagement with the tooth 6 there located, and then while the lever is thus engaged he will move the carriage to a contact it is attached is at normal, as shown in the drawings, is held up from contact with the stop D by one of the cross-bars of the carriage; but when the said bar is moved out of normal the pawl will drop into position to engage the stop. The said bar 0 is mounted on the carriage and guided so as to be moved longitudinallytby an eccentric C which has its pivot seated in a slot a in one of the cross-pieces of the carriage-frame and is pro-.

vided with means for rotatingit. To move IIO the bar O back and forth, thepivot-button c of the eccentric O is grasped and the eccentric turned until the pawl or variable catch-pin 0 has reached the desired position.

A scale F on the bar and a pointer f on the eccentric serve to indicate the position of the catch-pin. I

In the construction shown in Figs. 8, E and 10 the parts are much the same as in the lastmentioned construction, except that the eccentric is supplanted by a lever O and the bar 0 has a right-angled slot o in which a pin 0 on the lever enters and serves to move the bar longitudinally as the lever is turned, and a spring 0 serves to return the lever to normal. The lever O is pivoted upon one of the cross-pieces of the carriage by a pin 0 having an enlarged head. The pin passes through a slot a in the bar O and is shown in dotted lines under lever O in Fig. 8. By turning the pin 0 the lever is swung 011 an arc, and the pin 0 acting upon the front wall of the slot 0, forces the bar O forward to the desired position. In this construction I show the scale F on the side of the bar 0 and the pointer on the carriage-frame.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 is shown a spear H, made of spring metal and secured in a recess h in one of the rods or ways A (preferably the one nearest the operator) of the carriage. Tlheshaft h is preferably fiat and is within the recess, and the head h is of any desired form and projects beyond the end of the rod or ways A to which it is secured, The lip of the head normally projects beyond the rod A and in line with the frame, so that when the carriage is moved a certain distance further movement to finish the traverse is stopped by the lip striking the frame of the machine. Bydepressing the spear-head into the recess 7?. the carriage will be free to move forward and complete the full traverse. By making the lip with an inclined face the return movement of the carriage can be made without stoppage, as the spear-head, by rea son of its inclined face hitting the edge of the frame, will be depressed, and therefore not catch on said frame to stop the carriage. This movable stop differs from the movable stop shown and claimed in my application, SerialNo.410,230, filed October 29, 1891, in that in the latter the stop must be lifted to allow the carriage to move to the right after it has been moved the full distance to the leftthat is, when the movable stop has been lifted topermit of the full traverse-whereas the movable stop shown in this specification allows the operator to move the carriage to the right past the stop on the frame without further manipulation, as the spear-head, by reason of its inclined surface, is made to recede into the recess, and consequently out of the path of the stop on the frame.

I do not claim-herein the combination of a frame, a carriage having a predetermined traverse on said frame, and a movable stop normally in the path of traverse and to temporarily stop the carriage before the end of its movement, whereby the operator is en abled to properly complete a line, nor when in such a combination the. movable stop is on the carriage, nor when in such a-combination the stop is manually movable out of the way of the stop on said frame, if the movable stop is on the carriage, or vice versa; nor do I herein claim the combination, in a columnating attachment, of a stop and a catch-lever on the part of the machineopposite to the stop and having'a variable throw relative to said stop, nor when said stop is on the frame and the lever is on the carriage, as such a construction forms part of the subjects matter of my application Serial No. 410,230, filed October 2-9, 1891; nor do I claim in this specification the combination of a frame having aseries of stops (that may be adjustable) in the path of the paper-carriage, and said carriage having a key-controlled stop mechanism normally out of the way of said stopwh'en the carriage is moved, as such a construction forms part of the subjects-matter of my application, Serial No. 410,231, filed October, 1891.

In this description and in the subjoined claims the termsvariable catch and vari able stop are used. By these terms I intend to. express the following meaning: Acatch is that part which is brought into position to engage the stop at each entry of an item in the column of figures, and it is a variable catch when it is moved to a number of different positions, so as to provide for the entry of items having more or less digits than the preceding item. A stop is that: part against which the catch contacts and determines the position of thecolumn on the sheet. A stop is variable when it can be adjusted so as to vary the position of different columns. Avariable stop when once adjusted is not changed until the column is completed; but, on the other hand, a variable catch may be changed at each entry of an item in the column.

WVhat I claim is as follows:

1. In a columnatingattachment for typewriting machines, the combination of a stop and a catch variably engaging and manually adjustable relative to saidstop at the entry of each item, and whichautomatically reverts to a uniform normal position relative to said stop.

2. In a columnating attachment for typewriting machines, the combination of a stop and a longitudinally-movable catch variably engaging and manually adjustable relative to ,said stop at the entry of each item,and which automatically reverts to a uniform normal position relative to said stop.

3. In a columnating attachment for typewriting machines, the combination of a stop and a catch normally outof the path of the stop, variably engaging and manually adj ustable relative to said stop at the entry of each item, and which automatically reverts to a uniform normal position relative to saidstop. 1

IIO

- 4. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of a stop, a catch having variable'movements relative to said stop, and a plate having .points for engagement with said catch when the latter has moved a predetermined 7 distance. r 1 I 5. In a type-Writing machine, thecoinbination of a stop, .a catch havingvariable movements relative ,to said stop, and a plate having points for engagement with said catch,

and saidpoints being arranged in groups, for

the purpose set forth. 4

6. In a type-Writingmachine,v the combination of a paper-carriage, a stop for stopping said carriage attachedto the frame of the machine, and a variable catch. on the carriage under the control of the operators hand used for moving the carriage forcontacting With said stop, and thereby stopping the carriage at points corresponding to the points of adjustment of said catch,

. 7. In a type-writing machine, combinationof a paper-carriage, a stop on the frame of the machine for stopping the carriage, and a catch device on the carriage that is variable longitudinally of said carriage and under the control ofth e operatorshand .nsed for movin g the carriage for contacting with said stop,

andthereby stopping the carriage atpoints predetermined by the adjustment of said catch device. l

8.111 atype-writing machine, the combination of a paper-carriage, a stop on the frame of themachine for stopping the carriage, and a catchdevicefon the carriage that is variable ,longitudinallyof said carriage into a series of graduated positions for contacting with said stop, andthereby stopping the carriage at points predetermined by the adjustment of said catch'device.

9. In a type-writing machine, the combina tion of a paper-carriage, a, variable stop on longitudinally of said carriage into a series of graduated positions and under'the control of the operators hand and for moving the carriage for contacting with said stop, and thereby stopping the carriage at points predetermined by the adjustment of said catch device.

11. In a type-writing machine, the combination of'a paper-carriage, a stop on the frame of the machine for stopping the carriage, and a catch on the carriage that is variable into a series of graduated positions grouped periodically for contacting with said stop, and

thereby stopping thecarriage at points pre- ,stop,'and thereby stopping the carriage at points predetermined by the adjustment of said catch device and stop.

13. Inatype-writing machine, thecombinationof a paper-carriage, a stop on the frame of the machine for stopping the carriage, and a catch on'the carriage that is variable into a series of graduated positions grouped periodicallyand under the control of the operators lhand used for moving the carriage for con tacting with said stop, and thereby stopping the carriage at points predetermined by the adjustment of said catch device. t

' 14:. In atype-writing machine, the'combination of a paper-carriage, a stopfon the frame I of the machine for stopping thecarriage, and

a catch on the carriage that is variable into a series of graduated j posit-ions longitudinally of the carriage, grouped periodically for contacting with said. stop, and thereby stopping the carriage at points predetermined by the adjustment of said catch device. v

15. In a type-writing machine, thecombination, with the paper-carriage, of a variablecatch mechanism for stopping said carriage at any predetermined point, said catch mechanism being adapted to stop the carriage in a series of positions grouped periodically, whereby in printing various amounts in 'columnated order the numerals of like denomination will be in vertical order and so grouped as to have the separating spaces'or points in proper position. v t I e 16. In a type-Writing machine, the combina tion, with the paper carriage, of a variablccatch mechanism for stopping said carriage atany predetermined point, said catch mechanism being carried by the carriage and under the control of the operators hand used for movingthe carriage and adapted to stop the carriage in a series of positions grouped periodically, whereby in printingva'rious amounts in columnated order the numerals of like denomination will be in vertical order and so grouped as to have the separating spaces or points in proper position. v

17. In a type-writing machine, the combina tion of a stop connected with the frame of the machine and a variable catch-pin for engaging said stop and means for varying the posi- -tion of said pin that is controlled by the hand of the operator used for moving the carriage. I 18. In a type-Writing machine, the combination of a stop connected with the frame of the machine and a variable catch-pin for engaging said stop, and means for varying the position of said pin that is controlled by the hand of the operator used for moving the carriage,

and a spring for automatically returning the said pin to its normal position when said varying means are released by the operator.

19. In a type-writin g machine, the combination of a variable stop connected with the frame of the machine and a variable catchpin for engaging said stop and means for varying the position of said pin that is controlled by the hand of the operator used for moving the carriage.

20. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a variable stop connected with the frame of the machine and a variable catchpin for engaging said stop, and means for varying the position of said pin that is controlled by the hand of the operator used for moving the carriage, and a spring for automatically returning the said pin to its norm al position when said varying means are released by the operator.

21. In atype-writing machine, the combination of a stop connected with the frame of the machine and a variable catch-pin for engaging said stop, a graduated scale for indicating the proper points for adjusting said pin, which scale-points are arranged in periodical groups for the purposes mentioned, and means for varying the position of said pin that are under the control of the operators hand used in moving the carriage.

22. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a .variable stop connected with the frame of the machine and a variable catchpin for engaging said stop, a graduated scale for indicating the proper points for adjusting said pin, which scale-points are arranged in periodical groups for the purposes mentioned, and means for varying the position of said pin that are under the control of the operators hand used in moving the carriage.

23. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a stop connected with the frame ofthe machine and a variable catch-pin for engaging said stop, a graduated scale for indicating the proper points for adjusting said pin, which scale-points are arranged in periodical groups for the purposes mentioned, and means for varying the position of said pin that are under the control, of the op'erators hand used in moving the carriage, and a spring for automatically returning the said pin to normal when said varying means are released by the operator;

24:. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a variable stop connected with the frame of the machine and a variable catchpin for engaging said stop, a graduated scale for indicating the proper points for adjusting said pin, which scale-points are arranged in periodical groups for the purposes mentioned, and means for varying the position of said pin that are under the control of the operators hand used in moving the carriage, anda spring for automatically returning the said pin to normal when said varying means are released by the operator.

25. In a type-writing machine, the combina-' tion of the stop-barD, connected to the frame of the machine, the variable stop D on said bar, the frame-piece O O, detachably connected with the paper carriage frame and having a notched slot in the part 0 thereof, the sliding bar 0 the said frame-piece, the spring 0 for reacting said bar, and the catchpin 0 carried by said bar.

26. In a type-writing machine, the combinatiotf of the stop-bar D, connected to the frame of the machine, the variable stop D on said bar, the frame-piece O O, detachably connected with the paper-carriage frame and having a slot in the part 0 thereof, having notches .1 2 3 4 &c., therein arranged in groups with double-width spaces between the said groups, the sliding bar (3 in said framepiece, the spring 0 for reacting said bar, and the catch-pin 0 carried by said bar.

27. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a bar or frame having teeth and a stop adjustable upon said bar or frame and having a lip engaging with said teeth, which holds said stop against movement in one direction, and a catch normally out of the path of said stop;

28. In a type-writing machine, the combination of a frame, a carriage having a predetermined traverse on said frame, and a movable stop normally in the path of traverse and to temporarily stop the carriage before the end of its movement, said movable stop having a lip which engages with the fixed stop when the carriage is moved to the left, and an inclined face which engages the fixed stop to throw the movable stop out of line with the fixed slot when the carriage is moved to the right.

In testimony whereof Iafiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE O. BLICKENSDERFER. 

